Meet the Clean 15: The Fruits and Vegetables Least Likely to Poison You from Meet the Clean 15: The Fruits and Vegetables Least Likely to Poison You Slideshow

Meet the Clean 15: The Fruits and Vegetables Least Likely to Poison You Slideshow

Meet the Clean 15: The Fruits and Vegetables Least Likely to Poison You

We’re sure you’ve heard of the “Dirty Dozen” — the 12 pieces of produce most likely to have contamination from pesticides, herbicides, and other dangerous chemicals. The Clean 15 is the chemical-free counterpart to that list — the 15 vegetables you’re going to want to buy more of at the grocery store.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) devised their Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides by analyzing which fruits and vegetables have the lowest pesticide residues in grocery stores. They revise the list every year, ensuring that their recommendations remain updated with current farming practices. This year, they tested 48 of the most popular fruits and vegetables and narrowed down the results to reveal the best and the worst offenders when it comes to pesticide residue.

“It is important to note that the samples are tested for pesticides after they have been prepared to be eaten,” the EWG’s website warns. “This means the produce is thoroughly washed and, when applicable, peeled. After these preparations, pesticide residues are still detected on many of the fruits and veggies.”

Pesticides can have a real impact on the health of your home, with effects ranging from cancer risk to disruptions in pregnancy. Though the Dirty Dozen (which you can find here) are best kept off your grocery list, these are the 15 fruits and vegetables least likely to poison you.

Cauliflower

People are crazy about this crunchy cruciferous vegetable — and with good reason. It’s been repurposed to replace many a carbohydrate, including rice, pizza crust, and even mashed potatoes. Cauliflower pizza crust might not be much healthier, but it is tasty — and almost pesticide free.

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Cantaloupe

Perhaps it’s the hard outer shell that protects this bowling ball of a fruit from the harsh chemical sprays. Whatever the reason, this summer fruit salad star is actually really high in sodium (but don’t worry too much about that) and B vitamins.

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Kiwi

This underrated fruit has tons of health benefits, and it’s super-sweet for smoothies. Go ahead and slice one or just go ahead and bite it like an apple — you can eat the skin!

Eggplant

Mangos

They’re really hard to cut without making a mess, though there’s a trick to getting it right every time. Cut two large slices around the seed and then dice into squares inside the skin. If you leave the skin uncut, you can eat the cubes right off of it! If you don’t want to go to the trouble, just use the fruit in a savory and sweet recipe.

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Asparagus

This vegetable spearheaded this summer with its bold flavor and ease of preparation. Throw a few spears on the grill, toss them in olive oil on the stove, or tuck them into creamy folds of linguine. But beware — they are on our list of foods that make you smell bad.